The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-11-25
PUBLIC DEPREDATORS.
The Owners of Roaa stack

TO he Editor Of The Agis and IHteEigeHcsr:
We can imagine but few causes of aggravation
more Irritating to the feelings of human nature
or more provocative of vlrtuous Indignation, and
suppressed profanity. in the breast of the hon
est farmer, than that excited by the destruction
OF the fruits OF MS toll, his crops industrlously
titled throughout the heat Of the summer. by
the sweat OF his brow, through the trespaSs OF
the sO-called road stock" rogush cattle and
hors, which men who have not the fear of the
law, or of the Lord, before them. willfully com
Of both. ~ ''''' '''' '''''" u '"o ''"'"'"Ss
What expressions "dt for ears polite csp ,vs
expect from the toiling laborer the good citizen
the constant taxpayer, when he awakes at the.
carly dawn, 10 hasten to the labOrs of the day
and discovers that his field beautiful TO behold
in the eyes of the farmer with wheat. or oats or
corn on the day before, has, in single night,
been ravagcd ana destroyed by the road stock
of some neigheor, who will oftimes add insult
TO- injury by replying to his expostuations,-
is expected to maintain fences not only sum
CT mt for the environment Of and security from
the depredattons OF his own stock, but, in the
Judgment OF these trespassers. he must build
dciences so high as to turn an antelope, and
strong enough to resist the assaults of the typi-
cal road COW, accustomed by her masters t9ach
ing and neglect at home "to forage for herself"
and thus experienced in the art OF opening gates
putting down bars, and breaking through the
best OF fences
Because the people generally tolerate this
violation or the law against stock running at
large, seeking literally and truly what it may
d"vour. rather than suffer the nnnoyauces incl
dent to iii feelings between acknowledgements
hOrs' incapable OF experiencing such commune
tons themselves, the result is that the plain law
OF the land. and the gOiReH rule are both Violated
ana the SAID violation has defenders among men
VII, Sc intelligence should teach them better.
ana whose professions of religion should exert
Il restraining Influence. He who turns a cow
or 1t hog. upon the public highway for purposes
OF pasture commits the same violation OF law as
he who turns his stock into his neghbor's field
OF grass or gram. He has as much right TO the
one as to the other The law only requires the
farmer to fence against his own stock that is TO
keep II OIL OF other peoples property-whether
private or public, as in the case of the highways
purpose only. II he has no stock of his own
there is no law which cCmpels him to fence at all
lhese tacts have been so repeatedlystated in the
them attempted from any quarter that il is really
surprising with this knowledge before MIN or her
,hSt any man or woman, would deliberately, and
hnhi'uaIly violate the law and, what is worse
wItulIy lhJure, aliront and excite evil feelings
IN me breasts of their neighbors, whom they have
g3rh instructed to love" as "themselyes'
The evil complained of has been very much
diminished withnand about Darlington during
lnt past Few years, in one notable instance by
shame, AMI through dread of the restraining in
tuences of public opinion" and public indiP ma
tl2n. There are still few road-cattIe left in our
midst, ana sun fewer hogs, but, for the present.
we viii withhold the names of those who thus
injnre their neighbors, in the hope that "a word
10 the wise viii be sufficient"
Some gentlemen here. who have frequent busI-
ness upon the public highways. feel unwilling to
besubleclei to the constant trouble and annoy
=
mediation OF tn Sc who pasture the roads, and
therefore Leave them open, at the risk of depre-
cations. Their patience" however, as a conse-
1uece, Is frequently "tricd.'' Indeed, the pres
cnt letter was suggested by hearing the baying
OF dogs. the report of firearms, the excited
uttGrances of the injured planter, and the bel
lowing OF distressed cattle after dark the present
night. Our reflections were deeply sad as we
cast IN review the feelings of Indignation which
must have overwhelmed the owner of the bro
perry trespasSe1 upon, the injury that the dumb
animals may nave sustained and the varied feel
ings mat must in the end have agitated and
made ashamed the owner Of the stock.
we write, Mr.. Editor, in the interest of peace
ana qnlet, law and ORDER and we trust that the
Gay Is at hand when the man who owns n COW
"and has no hay to give her." will not ATTEMPT
TO satisfy himself, nor the COW, by blowing his
norm ana requesting the poor animal TO SON
slher, but viii straightaway dispose of her to
some hllhahe purchaser who is competent and
willing TO furnish the necessary provender on
ms own promises or to buy the same from those
who have 1t TO sell and that he, henceforth will
cease TO he the cause of i'll feeling and injury to
those who should be. and otherwise would be his
friends ana resolve to ever after lead the life Of
II Ia" hD!uihR clt!Ien. Very respectfully,
,,.r-, W. STUMP FoRwooD.